


The Hollow King

by Spunky0ne



Series: Bearers of the New King [2]
Category: Bleach
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-12-20
Updated: 2017-12-25
Packaged: 2018-03-02 10:55:35
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 6
Words: 15,776
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2809754
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Spunky0ne/pseuds/Spunky0ne
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When the soul king disappears, Byakuya, Renji and Tetsuya are sent to investigate the old fortress in Las Noches.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Byakuya stepped out into the misted garden and walked out the back gate, onto the forest path. The wind blew somewhat fitfully, carrying with it the warning of a coming storm, and he hoped that it wouldn't ruin the view of the stars he was going to see. The forest path was damp and deeply silent. Even the wind that moved his hair made no sound. It made the environs somewhat ethereal and sent a very light shiver down his spine. He shrugged away the feeling and breathed in deeply as he continued down the trail. He was relieved when the trees opened up and the mist receded, and he stepped out onto the hillside of sakura above the lake. A blanket of stars peeked out from behind the scattered low clouds and reflected on the surface of the water below.

He removed his cloak and laid it on the ground beneath one of the trees, then settled down on it, leaning back against the tree and gazing up at the night sky and letting his mind wander.

The wind began to whisper louder as he reclined, observing the stars and missing the closeness of Abarai Renji's body. But the redhead was on a mission in Hueco Mundo and having taken ill just before the deployment of their squad, Byakuya had sent Renji ahead and returned to Kuchiki Manor to rest and regain his strength. He would have liked to say that his health had improved, but it hadn't improved much if it had at all…and the only reason he had strayed out from the manor to watch the stars was because weakness had taken a momentary back seat to boredom and he couldn't simply lie in his bed anymore. Instead, he had slipped out into the night, dressed warmly and bringing the extra cloak, anticipating that the ground would be wet.

He felt the flare of heat on his skin as fever returned to his body and his eyes burned and ached as he slowly blinked. He was beginning to regret having left the manor as a shiver went through his body, then another, and he laid down on the heavy cloak, moaning softly.

He was dimly aware of it growing darker and colder, of the wind rising from a whisper to a lonely howl. It began to cut through the thick layers he wore, pricking his skin with icy fingers and making him shiver harder. He heard a rumble of thunder and felt the first drops of rain, and tried to turn and push himself upward so he could stand. But as soon as his head lifted away from the ground, his vision dimmed and he felt his arms give way. He collapsed back onto the cloak with a pained whimper.

He wondered how he could have worsened again so unexpectedly, how the strength could have drained out of him so suddenly and he could have been left so weak. Realizing that for the moment, it seemed he would not be going anywhere, he moved so that he was as protected as possible, beneath the limbs of the tree and curled his body to keep his core, warmer and drier.

As the rain came down harder, he realized that such measures were not going to help for long and he buried his face in his arms, shivering and feeling the darkness closing in. He thought he could hear voices, but his fevered mind failed him and refused to allow him to differentiate between reality and fantasy. He knew he had to be seeing things, because the shape he saw coming towards him in the darkness, looked like Renji's shape…but the illness left him blurred and dark.

"Renji?" he managed, and the dark form turned and came closer.

Someone was outlined against the dark, clouded night sky, someone whose shape looked like Renji's.

"Renji?" he whispered again, "Are you really here?"

The one leaning over him placed a hand on his face and Byakuya felt a comforting dizziness pass through him. He wasn't shaking anymore. The cold no longer reached his skin. He sighed softly and reached for Renji. He almost cried out with relief when a pair of arms wrapped around him and began to lift him.

Sharp, worried voices cut through the storm, but no longer reached Byakuya's deeply affected mind. Whoever was holding him suddenly returned him to the cloak he had been resting on, then turned and flash stepped away. A moment later, a heavily cloaked figure flash stepped onto the hillside, spotted Byakuya and gave a soft, worried cry. He moved quickly to the noble's side and knelt next to him, reaching down to touch his face.

"Cousin," he called softly, "Byakuya-sama, can you hear me?"

Byakuya's lips moved slightly, but no sound escaped him. The man kneeling next to him pulled back his hood, revealing a face much like Byakuya's with somewhat shorter black hair and very dark blue eyes.

"Byakuya-sama?" he repeated worriedly.

He slipped an arm beneath his cousin's shoulders and carefully lifted him, then flash stepped back down the trail and trough the gardens to Byakuya's room. A servant appeared as they arrived and hurriedly sent another for a healer, then quickly gathered some fresh clothes. His eyes widened in surprise as Tetsuya took the clothing from his hands and proceeded to replace Byakuya's wet clothing with the dry ones, himself.

"Michio, pull back the blankets, if you please," the noble requested in a soft, insistent voice.

"Where did you find him?" asked the servant, "We couldn't find him anywhere! We didn't expect that he would be out of bed, sir. He has been so ill, we didn't think he would…"

"It's all right," Tetsuya assured the man, "My cousin can be a bit exasperating that way. It wasn't your fault. But I do hope that healer arrives soon. Otherwise, I'll probably just have to carry him to the fourth division."

"He's that bad, is he?" asked Michio worriedly.

"I'm sure that Byakuya-sama will be fine," Tetsuya said kindly, "but perhaps it would be good if you would bring some tea. We could try to get him to take some, and I could use the warmth of it myself."

"Hai, Kuchiki-sama," Michio said, turning away and leaving the room.

Tetsuya left Byakuya's side and returned a moment later with a cool cloth. The feel of that coolness seemed to rouse Byakuya slightly, and he opened his eyes and gazed up at Tetsuya dazedly.

"Renji?" he moaned softly.

Tetsuya smiled and shook his head.

"Sorry Cousin," he said sympathetically, "but Abarai-san has not returned from Hueco Mundo as of yet.

"B-but…he was there…at the waterfall…" Byakuya moaned deliriously.

"I'm sure that's what you saw, Cousin, but you are quite ill…and that can make things that are not real seem very real."

"No…I know it…it was…Renji…" Byakuya insisted, trying to sit up.

Tetsuya pushed him down gently and took a cup of hot tea from Michio as the servant stepped back into the bedroom. He took a small amount in a spoon and brought it to Byakuya's lips. Byakuya sipped at the tea, then dropped back against the pillows, moaning incoherently. Tetsuya shook his head sympathetically and took a sip of his own tea.

"Can I bring anything else, sir?" asked Michio, looking unhappily at the man lying restlessly in the bed.

"No, thank you," said Tetsuya, "Just be prepared to receive the healer…and bring them as soon as possible. I will sit with him until then."

"Hai, Kuchiki-sama," Michio said, bowing and leaving the bedroom.

Tetsuya leaned over Byakuya, offering him another sip of tea, then carefully running the cool cloth over his face. He knew that not much time had passed since he had arrived at the manor, carrying his cousin, but it seemed to take forever before footsteps sounded in the hallway and Yamada Hanatarou ran into the room.

"Thank you for coming so quickly," Tetsuya told the boy, "My cousin is very ill. He has been sick for several days, but it seems to have gotten significantly worse when he took a short walk tonight."

Hanatarou nodded and sat down next to Byakuya, extending his hands and releasing a flow of healing green spirit energy. The light touched Byakuya's body and flashed strangely. Hanatarou's brow furrowed and he increased the healing flow. The light seemed to reflect off of Byakuya's body, prompting a worried sound of exclamation from the healer.

"What is it?" asked Tetsuya, "What's happening?"

Hanatarou shook his head and frowned.

"I'm not sure exactly. It seems as though Kuchiki taichou's body is resistant to my healing power…but I don't know why that would be. I have healed him many times before. It may be the particular illness…but I sensed something odd in his reiatsu. This is beyond my expertise, I'm afraid. Kuchiki taichou needs to be taken to the fourth division for further treatment."

"Well, then, let's get him there quickly, by all means," Tetsuya said, rising and lifting the semiconscious noble into his arms.

He turned toward the door and glanced briefly at Michio.

"This seems quite serious. I think we will want to send for Abarai-san. Would you see to that while I take him to the fourth division?"

"Hai, Kuchiki-sama," the servant answered, running out of the room.

Tetsuya flash stepped out of the room and down the walkway, then through the manor entry and out onto the rainy, silent streets. He flash stepped all of the way, but was still fairly wet when he arrived with Byakuya at the fourth division.

"Bring him this way," said Kotetsu Isane, motioning toward an open examination room, "Unohana taicohu will be here in a moment."

She leaned over Byakuya, checking his vital signs and reiatsu, then noting everything on a clipboard. Unohana taichou stepped into the room and Isane handed her the clipboard. She studied it for a moment, then leaned over Byakuya, opening each eye and studying them carefully, then extending her hands over him and setting a healing field in place.

"I understand that Kuchiki taichou has been ill for several days. Do you know anything about how this began?"

"Hai," said Tetsuya, "He woke several nights ago, claiming to have seem someone that he took to be Abarai-san in his room. He says that the one he saw leaned over him and did something, and he was left unable to move for a time after. Even after regaining his equilibrium, he was feverish and weak. We checked his room thoroughly and only found signs of his reiatsu and Abarai-san's, but we know that Abarai-san couldn't have been there, because he worked late at the division office that night. We weren't able to find signs of anyone trespassing on the property, so we were left to conclude that he was hallucinating, perhaps because of his illness."

"Hai, that is a possibity," Unohana said, nodding, "but I will send some healers to do a deeper reiatsu search on the property and I will keep Kuchiki taichou here for a few nights to allow him to recover."

"When Hanatarou tried to heal him, he said that my cousin's body appeared to be resisting treatment. Do you have an explanation for that?" asked Tetsuya.

"It is possible," the healer explained, "that because of the hallucinations, Kuchiki taichou's reiatsu took a defensive stance. If he believed he was being attacked, he would do this to shut out foreign reiatsu as a means of protecting himself. It seems that my power has broken through. He is responding to treatment now."

"He does look somewhat improved," noted Tetsuya, looking relieved.

Unohana stood and checked the healing field carefully to ensure that it remained in place.

"Has Abarai fukutaichou been recalled from Hueco Mundo yet?" she asked softly.

"Hai, we sent for him as I was leaving with my cousin. It may be a while yet, but I know he will come as soon as he is able."

"Yes, I am sure he will want to be here with Kuchiki taichou until he is out of danger."

Tetsuya's eyes took on a guarded look.

"You mean…he's still…that bad?" he asked.

"I am afraid that the fever is very strong. Until it breaks, he will remain weakened and vulnerable to additional ailments. His immune system is quite strained by this."

"Then, by all means," said Tetsuya, "I will stay here with my cousin until Abarai-san arrives."

"I am sure that will be a comfort to Kuchiki taichou," Unohana said, smiling.

She checked the healing field one last time, then left Tetsuya and Byakuya alone in the room.

The head elder gazed down at Byakuya with worried eyes.

"I do hope Abarai-san returns soon."

XXXXXXXXXX

"Test the shield one more time," Renji told the third seat, "We want to close off these ruins so nothing gets in or out. Soutaichou is concerned about the odd energy pulses around here. He wants this area sealed off until Kurotsuchi taichou and his crew can examine the ruins and locate the source of the disturbance. We don't want any more trouble coming out of Las Noches, now that Aizen Sosuke is gone."

"Hai, Abarai fukutaichou!" the third seat said, turning to the shinigamis positioned around the perimeter of the fortress.

He whispered to a hell butterfly and the squad members sent pulses of energy into the containment shield, testing its strength. The shield flashed in response and Renji nodded in approval.

"Okay, now leave guards at every station and send rotating groups on patrol. Check the shield every twelve hours and report back to me."

"Abarai fukutaichou! Abarai fukutaichou!" called a frantic youth.

Renji watched in amusement as Rikichi ran towards him and slid to a stop in front of him.

"What is it, Rikichi?" he asked patiently.

"Sir, a message just arrived from Kuchiki Manor! Kuchiki taichou has become extremely ill and has been taken to the fourth division. Additional messages from Unohana taichou and Soutaichou have called for your immediate return to the Seireitei!"

"All right, thanks," Renji said, looking around, "Did they send a replacement?"

"No need, sir," Rikichi panted, "Kurotsuchi taichou's team just arrived. He said that he will need our guards to continue patrolling, but that the rest of us are cleared to return. You and I are to go ahead of them and return immediately."

"Okay, let's go," Renji said, flash stepping towards the senkaimon with Rikichi in his wake.


	2. The Darker Side of Memory

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Renji returns from his mission to find Byakuya having disturbing symptoms.

The fourth division healing room was shadowed and nearly silent, the only sound, the soft beeping of monitors and the breathing sounds of the two men within the room. A frighteningly pale Kuchiki Byakuya slept restlessly in the bed while Kuchiki Tetsuya sat nearby, dozing in a chair. From time to time, a healer came to examine the ill shinigami, making notes onto the clipboard, then returning it to the end of the bed. As the night went on, their visits became less frequent, their thought being that he had improved to the point where what he needed more than anything else was simply rest.

Outside the window, the rain had ended…and the stars were reappearing slowly across the misted, moonless sky. The starlight fell lightly across the room, giving the environs a calm, blue glow.

As the two men slept, a dark form rose up outside the window and moved through it as though it was not there. It dropped down and looked around briefly, then moved to the man who sat beside the bed, touching his forehead and watching as he slumped in the chair and slid slowly to the floor. He turned to the man in the bed and leaned over him, emitting a soft, hissing sound.

Byakuya's glazed eyes opened and looked up at the other.

"R-renji?" he whispered, shivering at the dark, shadowed form he took to be his beloved, "Renji…"

A pale hand reached for the light next to the bed. A dark hand moved and captured his, and the other moved to sit next to Byakuya.

"I…I can't see properly…Renji…" Byakuya moaned softly, "T-turn on the light…"

The other said nothing, but leaned closer, touching the sweating, too pale, face and bringing his lips to the noble's. Byakuya closed his eyes and returned the kiss. As it deepened, he felt again, the sense of falling, of being slowly drained, of being made weightless.

"R-ren…ji," he whispered, trying to push him away.

The dark, shadowed hand touched Byakuya's face and the noble's dark eyes closed. The other began lifting him out of the bed, but footsteps sounded in the hallway outside the room, heading toward them. The shadowed form leaned over and kissed Byakuya gently on the lips, then disappeared out the window. Then, the door to the room opened and Abarai Renji walked in.

His eyes widened at the sight of Kuchiki Tetsuya lying unconscious on the floor and the sudden, louder beeping of the monitors that brought healers rushing into the room. He watched worriedly as one healer knelt next to Tetsuya, trying to wake him, and two others leaned over Byakuya, examining him. One of the two with Byakuya said something to the other, then flash stepped away. Renji moved forward and knelt next to the healer who was examining Tetsuya.

"Is he all right?" Renji asked quietly.

"It looks as though he will be fine…but there is an oddity. I cannot determine what caused him to lose consciousness. I can find no invasive reiatsu…just his own. But it is almost as though his own reiatsu caused this. In any case, we will move him to another room and do a more detailed evaluation of his condition."

Renji nodded.

"Would you like me to move him to the other room for you?" he asked.

"That would be helpful," the healer said, smiling, "And hopefully, when you return, there will be some news about Kuchiki taichou."

Renji lifted Tetsuya and carried him out into the hallway, then into the room next to Byakuya's. He set the noble down gently in the bed and left him with the healer, flash stepping back to the room where Byakuya was being treated. A feeling of relief passed over him when he saw that Unohana taichou had joined the healers who were treating Byakuya. She calmly listened as the other healers gave their reports, then leaned over the noble and brought her power to life. The other healers slipped out of the room. Unohana carefully set a healing field in place, then turned to Renji.

"I was told that you discovered Kuchiki Tetsuya unconscious…and entered the room just as the monitors picked up a negative change in Kuchiki taichou's reiatsu."

"Hai…I don't know what happened. I didn't see anything."

"Hmm…" said Unohana, furrowing her brow, "It is odd. I have used my senses to scan this room…and I find only reiatsu from Kuchiki taichou, you, Kuchiki Tetsuya and the healers who have been assisting in Kuchiki taichou's care."

"But you feel you should have found someone else's?" Renji asked, his eyes narrowing.

"That's exactly what I expected. You see…the oddest thing about what is happening to Kuchiki taichou is that everything about this is indicative of an attack. His reiatsu, when I first came in, had taken on a defensive hardening and was resistant to the entrance and healing of my reiatsu. Also, as I leaned over him, he called your name…and told me not to leave again. And his own reiatsu is markedly drained, where it wasn't when he was examined only a short time ago."

"So…you are saying…someone…or something attacked him?" Renji asked worriedly, "And that someone left no reiatsu or other signs behind?"

Unohana nodded.

"Everything in what I am seeing indicates that he was somehow attacked and drained. But how it was done without leaving behind some kind of trace…"

She thought for a moment.

"Abarai Renji, when you arrived, did you touch Kuchiki taichou?" she asked.

Renji shook his head.

"I had only just walked in when the healers came bolting in after me. I didn't touch him."

"And when was the last time the two of you had physical contact?" she asked.

"About a week ago," Renji said, his eyes narrowing with concern, "Why?"

"Very disturbing," Unohana taichou said, turning to briefly examine Byakuya again, "because traces of reiatsu with your reiatsu markers are all over him. You are certain that you have had no physical contact for a week?"

"Positive," said Renji, his face paling.

The healer nodded.

"Then I think we have our answer," she said quietly, "Kuchiki taichou has not only been attacked and drained of reiatsu, but has had this occur several times over the past week. And the person or creature doing this to him is capable of leaving nearly no traces of its passing. It either has the ability to mimic your reiatsu, or it has some of your reiatsu that it uses to cover its tracks when it comes to Kuchiki taichou."

"Kami! That's unbelievable! That it could get to him without us even knowing…"

"I don't know if you are aware of this or not, but Kuchiki taichou has said something rather telling as well. It was dismissed at first as a hallucination, but…"

"He was saying that he saw me!" exclaimed Renji, "Byakuya said that he saw me! We just brushed it off, because he was so sick. But what if it wasn't that at all? What if there really is some…some thing attacking him?"

"I would like to ask that you allow us to take full samples of your reiatsu. I will also take samples left behind on Kuchiki taichou. In addition, we will need to evacuate Kuchiki Manor and have it thoroughly screened as well…and we should examine the Squad Six Headquarters…although he hasn't been there as recently, since he has been ill. And while these tests are being conducted, I would ask that your division provide several guards to remain around Kuchiki taichou at all times. He should always have at least two guards. And give the order that if one is attacked, the other is to immediately move to a safe location and not attempt to intercept the creature alone. It may be able to incapacitate only one person at a time. That would explain why Kuchiki Tetsuya was made unconscious. Perhaps if the creature had attacked Byakuya and Kuchiki Tetsuya had awakened, the creature would have been somehow vulnerable…but it could have simply been that it wanted to avoid being seen by anyone but Kuchiki taichou. As long as we believed him to be hallucinating, the creature could come and go with us none the wiser."

"Right," said Renji, "I'll send a hell butterfly to make the guard request, but I'm not leaving him. I want him to see me here so that if this thing comes back, he'll know it isn't me."

"Hai, but I will leave a healer in the room with you. I do not wish for whatever this creature is to have it harm you. Now, I will take these samples to examine them. One of the healers will be with you shortly to take the comparison samples."

"And I'll send a hell butterfly to Kuchiki Manor and have it locked down and placed under guard," Renji said.

Renji watched solemnly as Unohana taichou left and a healer moved into the room and stood quietly near Byakuya, watching with uneasy eyes as the taichou continued to sleep.

XXXXXXXXXX

Byakuya felt the sensation of floating to the surface of icy, cold water after having been submerged for far too long. His body felt shaky and he could feel the sweat that had broken out on his skin. He felt Renji's presence in the room, but didn't know whether or not to trust his own senses. He found he didn't need to rely on his senses when a cool cloth brushed the sweat away from face and throat and a calm, sweet voice softly broke the stillness around him.

"So…you just couldn't resist getting into mischief. I can't leave you for a minute, can I?"

He forced his eyes open, then squinted against the bright light, and waited calmly as his vision cleared.

"Kami, Renji…I thought I was imagining things again."

Renji leaned forward and kissed him. Byakuya tensed for a moment, a look of intense concentration coming over his face.

"Is something wrong?" Renji asked quickly.

"No…not exactly, but I…I just remember…you kissed me before. Earlier tonight…you kissed me."

Renji's eyes took on an even more worried look.

"Byakuya, I didn't…The kiss I just gave you was the first since I came back from Hueco Mundo."

Byakuya looked perplexed and lowered his eyes.

"I'm sorry," he said quietly, "I must have…simply imagined it," he said softly.

Renji leaned forward and kissed him again.

"Hey…I wouldn't be so sure. Unohana taichou said that this may be someone who is able to make you see me…or to leave behind reiatsu that is like mine. She believes what you said about seeing me…"

He was relieved to see that the noble looked somewhat bolstered by the news.

"You mean…I'm not…"

Renji studied him for a moment, then his eyes widened with realization.

"Kami…no! Bya, no one thinks you're…"

"Well…I was before. I was…very affected by what happened in the spirit dimension. And you, of all people, know how out of control it got. Not to mention, I did have setbacks…"

Renji set a warm palm against his cheek and looked into his eyes.

"Now, you listen to me. No one thinks you're crazy. Even if what you saw wasn't real…that doesn't mean you're crazy. You've been very ill. Sick people see plenty of things and it doesn't make them crazy. Don't torment yourself like that. You were cleared as being both physically and mentally fit a year ago…over a year ago…So stop thinking like that…okay?"

Byakuya swallowed hard and nodded briefly. Renji was relieved to see that the glazed, fevered look was leaving his eyes.

"It's just…Renji, I've been thinking about this person who looks like you…and something occurred to me…and that's why I thought…but he…"

Byakuya broke off as Unohana taichou entered the room. She smiled when she saw that Byakuya was awake and sitting up.

"Kuchiki taichou, you look much better," she said approvingly, "and the latest tests indicate that your reiatsu is restoring itself. I am very encouraged by that."

"Does that mean that I will be able to return home soon?" Byakuya asked.

"Ah…about that," Renji said, turning to look at him, "Byakuya, we had to evacuate Kuchiki Manor so that the medical teams could screen it for evidence. They also screened the Squad Six Headquarters, just to be sure."

"I don't understand," Byakuya said, frowning, "What were they looking for?"

"We believe you were attacked," Unohana taichou explained, "and whatever attacked you was able to make you see Renji…to sense his presence…and it was able to leave behind reiatsu with all of the markers of Renji's. But I have finished tests on your reiatsu, Renji's, and samples taken from Kuchiki Manor and your quarters at the sixth division. Kuchiki taichou, you were attacked…several times. And the creature that did the attacking is one that resembles what the people of the living world call a wraith…"

"A wraith?" said Renji, looking unnerved.

"Hai…The people of the living world realize that sometimes when a person dies, they leave behind a ghost or shadow spirit. Some of these are believed to be harmless, or even beneficial…but if there are violent circumstances related to one's death…or if there were clusters of heavily negative emotion, the spirit is then made darker and becomes more dangerous. Among the dangerous types are specters and wraiths. These, of course are not real…but they do have a basis in fact. The creatures they refer to as wraiths…are actually a parasitic hollow that forms from unresolved emotion. The difference is that if the hollow wraith forms, it draws sustenance from the one most related to the emotions from which it came."

"But the thing Byakuya saw…looked like me!" Renji objected, "How could it be one of these wraiths?"

Unohana bowed her head.

"I don't know the answer to that. It may be that we are dealing with something else…perhaps a new form of hollow. Hollows are always changing and mutating. It is a mechanism they use to ensure their survival. I am not certain what type of creature attacked Byakuya and until I do, I would suggest that you keep several guards posted around you at all times. This creature will, most likely return…because it is feeding on your reiatsu. And I did not see signs anywhere of it feeding on anyone else. That is why I believe that maybe it can't. And if that is so, it must return to you…to restore itself."

"If that's the case, then we shouldn't take any chances," said Renji, "Maybe when you are discharged, we should not go home…but to the division headquarters. There are always guards on duty and we can station them at the entrances to your quarters."

Byakuya nodded solemnly.

"But Renji," he said quietly, "I need to ask you to do something. I need you to put Beniko in Rukia's care…and send both to the living world…"

He paused for a moment.

"…to Kurosaki Ichigo…" he finished.

Renji's eyes narrowed.

"To…Ichigo?" he asked, surprised, "Byakuya…you don't even like…"

"My feelings about Ichigo are irrelevant in this…except as pertains to his ability to keep the two of them safe. Please, Renji. I don't want to take any chances…"

"Yeah," Renji agreed, "especially with what happened with Tetsuya…"

"What?" asked Byakuya, looking worried, "What happened to my cousin?"

"Oh…sorry," Renji said quickly, "I was so focused on you, I forgot to tell you. He's okay now…but Tetsuya was knocked unconscious, we think by whatever it was that got to you."

Byakuya sighed.

"Even greater reason to keep me as far from them as possible. Whatever this is, I do not want harm coming to Rukia or Beniko. Renji…"

"Okay," agreed Renji, "but while I'm in the living world, I want you to stay under guard. I will be back as soon as Rukia and Beniko are settled in. I will stay a couple of days to make sure Beniko adjusts okay to being in the living world…and then I'll be back. Just…please…stay out of trouble…please. I think I'll have a heart attack if I see Rikichi coming after me all frantic like that again!"

Byakuya gave him a small smile.

"I will stay under guard, I promise. And when I am discharged, I will stay at the division headquarters. I will be careful, Renji. Just…please see to Rukia and Beniko. They need to be away from this."

Renji nodded. He leaned over and kissed him warmly.

"Stay out of trouble, Taichou," he said affectionately, "I will be back soon."

Shadowed eyes watched from the trees outside the window as Renji turned and flash stepped out of the room.


	3. On the Borders of Reality

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Byakuya wonders if he could be losing his mind.

"You are looking markedly better, Kuchiki taichou," said Unohana taichou, smiling, "Your reiatsu has returned to normal and is fully restored."

"Then I may go?" he asked, returning her smile.

"Hai…but please remember to take it easy for a few days. I am returning you to non-combat duty for four days, then full duty after that…as long as you continue to show signs of recovery."

"I think perhaps you are overly concerned," he said calmly, "I feel fine now."

"Yes," she said patiently, "but as your physician, it is my job to judge based on all available information…and my information makes it clear that you still need additional recovery time."

"Well…I shall certainly have that…once Renji returns."

"Is he still in the living world?" Unohana asked, looking surprised.

"Apparently, Beniko was not pleased with the adjustment to wearing a gigai…and a few other oddities of being in the living world. He should be back tomorrow."

The healer nodded.

"And I expect you will do as you promised and remain under guard until his return?" she asked pointedly.

"Hai, I have no wish to be drained of anything more than I have been already."

"Very well then," Unohana taichou said, turning toward the door, "Just stop by the front desk as you leave to schedule a follow-up and to pick up your clearance to return to duty."

"Arigatou," he said, bowing his head.

"It was a pleasure assisting you, Kuchiki taichou…Be well."

Byakuya slipped into his shihakushou and tied the belt at his waist, sighing discontentedly at the thought of spending four days at the division with nothing but desk work to entertain him. Non-combat duty also meant no training and being that he loved training on the division grounds and that he needed to rebuild his strength, he was not looking forward to having to put those goals on hold. He sighed softly and reached for his haori.

As he did, a pair of arms slipped around him from behind, startling him. He turned in the other's arms and his eyes went wide in disbelief. He released a strangled cry as the other placed a hand over his mouth and wrapped one around his waist. He felt a jolt of energy passing through him and dropped to his knees, stunned. The other turned him, pulled the hand away from his mouth and slipped it underneath his chin, lifting his unbelieving eyes. The eyes that looked back at him were large and golden…the face, like Renji's, but with golden markings. A heavy shock passed through him, leaving him shaky and weak.

"It cannot be…you…"

The strong arms pushed him back against the wall and a hungry, demanding mouth fastened on his. Byakuya tried to twist free, but only felt the cold hands tighten. He tried to gather his power to release a kido spell, but his body refused to obey. He heard a tap on the door and started to call out. His voice stopped in his throat as he realized that the other had disappeared…that he was alone on the floor. He climbed to his feet and steadied himself.

"Who is it?" he asked, trying to sound calm.

"It's just me, Cousin," said Tetsuya's voice from outside the door.

"Come in," Byakuya said, swallowing hard and quickly composing himself.

The door opened and Tetsuya stepped inside. He smiled and nodded.

"You look a bit better," he acknowledged, "Still a bit paler than usual, but that will work itself out. Come, I'll walk you to the sixth division if you like."

Byakuya nodded and turned back to the rest of his clothes. He slipped on the fingerless gloves and wrapped the ginpaku kazahana no uzuginu around his neck, then worked the kenseiken carefully into his hair. Then he turned and walked alongside Tetsuya as they left the room together. They stopped briefly to obtain Byakuya's clearance and to schedule an appointment, then left the building and moved down the street to the sixth division headquarters. Byakuya wore a calm, quiet expression, but inside, his mind whirled.

_It was him. It was the Interim King! But it cannot have been! His reiatsu was expelled at the end of the rebirth ritual. Besides, he used Renji's body before. Something is wrong with me. I cannot have really seen him, touched him. It must be the stress of this situation. It cannot be him. It has to be just a construct of my mind._

"Cousin, you're awfully quiet," said Tetsuya, "Are you all right?"

"Hai," Byakuya said, forcing a wry smile, "just too much lying around. It's good to get out of that place and to resume something resembling normal life."

"I would think so," agreed Tetsuya, "I think I would feel the same in your circumstances."

They walked up the steps and into the sixth division office.

"Would you like some tea," Byakuya offered.

Tetsuya shook his head.

"I have to get back to the council hall for a meeting, I'm afraid. They're very up in arms about your condition and the screening of Kuchiki Manor. I have to go hold hands and wipe noses to calm them down," he chuckled.

"Ah, I am pleased that is your job and not mine."

"And for good reason, Cousin," Tetsuya laughed, "Well then, I'll leave you here in the capable hands of your squad. Take Abarai-san's advice and try to stay out of trouble. I have enough to deal with."

He turned and flash stepped away.

Byakuya nodded a greeting to the third seat, who sat at Renji's desk, writing reports, then moved to his own desk and sat down. Senbonzakura was still set on top of his desk, where he had placed it, just before collapsing the day he became ill. He reached for the blade to move it to the stand and reached out with his mind as he touched it, sending a greeting to the spirit within. A cold feeling passed through him when the spirit in the weapon did not answer him. He tried again, and a third time, to no avail.

"Kuchiki taicohu, may I make you some tea?" asked the third seat, looking up at him.

Byakuya shook his head.

"No…thank you," He stood and placed Senbonzakura in the stand, "I will be in my quarters if anyone should require my presence."

The youth nodded and continued his work, pausing to glance up at him again as he left the room.

Byakuya walked past the guards at his door and into his quarters. He walked to the window first and immediately felt the presence of the guards outside. Breathing a relieved sigh, he removed his uniform and slipped into a soft yukata. He sat down on the bed, trying to relax his stormy mind.

 _Why can't I speak to Senbonzakura? Why couldn't I use my powers? There were no signs of this when I was examined in the fourth division. Could my own mind be causing this? I was cleared for duty. My reiatsu has been restored. Why can't I use my powers? Why can't I speak to my zanpakutou? And why doesn't anyone else sense the loss of my powers? Such a thing is usually obvious_.

He wished briefly that Renji would return and came close to sending a hell butterfly to urge his spouse to return. But he stopped himself short of taking the action for one single reason. He was scared to death that his illness had caused a relapse…and that he was imagining everything. It would explain the fact that he still felt power present, though he couldn't use it. It would explain why the vision he saw disappeared when Tetsuya knocked…and it would explain why even now, he felt a vague, inward sense of disassociation inside. But if he read the situation right, he was losing his mind again.

He slipped beneath the blankets and began to drift off. As he neared sleep, an odd feeling overcame his senses and he felt very suddenly, as though he wasn't alone. He sat up and started to get out of bed, then fell to his knees on the floor as a sharp pain burst through his midsection and light flashed softly around him. He tried to call for help, but found himself unable to speak.

Something shadowy rose up out of his own body and hovered in the air beside him…then slowly resolved into the being he had seen before. Byakuya rolled to his feet and backed away, trying again to speak and finding himself unable. The golden-eyed man followed, wrapping a strong hand around his wrist and forcing him down onto the bed. Byakuya tried again and suddenly found his voice.

"You…you aren't real. Your life ended with the birth of the king! I'm just having a hallucination. You aren't here!"

A cold palm touched his face and the Interim King looked down into his eyes.

"You don't believe I am here?" he asked softly, "Is that why you do not call for assistance? Or is it perhaps, something else? Could it be, Kuchiki Byakuya, that you actually missed me?"

"I gave myself over to the rebirth ritual," Byakuya said, staring, "I told you then and I will tell you again, I am not in love with you. I love Renji, and Renji is not here. You cannot be using his body. You can't be here…It's just in my mind. You're still in my mind. I thought you were gone, but somehow you won't leave my mind!"

The Interim King smiled and leaned down to kiss him. Byakuya pulled away sharply, but the king touched his face again, sending a shock through him and freezing him in place.

"Well then, my Byakuya, if you are that convinced that I am not real, then you will not mind if I indulge."

He pulled the tie at his waist and hastily removed the yukata. Byakuya struggled to move, but was still frozen by the king's power. He tried again to use a kido release and felt pressure, but no release of power.

"Stop," he gasped as his body was turned so that he was on his stomach, "Don't do this!"

"You object to this?" the king whispered, "You have no right to refuse me, Consort."

"I met the requirements of the rebirth ritual!" Byakuya hissed, "You have no power over me. You're not even real. You never were! That's why you needed Renji's body. You were a construct made to render the reiatsu for the new king. You have no life of your own. You told me…you told me that you made peace with that! You said that…"

"I know," whispered the king, "but I never said that I had let go of the emotions. Remember, that I had no emotions before you interfered by asking me to show them for you. You caused me to develop them, and that makes you responsible. Now, you will serve my desires. And I desire life…and I desire you…I will have both…You, Byakuya, will give me both."

"No…"

One cold hand closed over his mouth and the other ran slowly down his spine, sending a hard chill through him.

"I would be quiet if I were you," the Interim King warned him, "if you call the guards, I will only disappear again."

Byakuya closed his eyes and tried to end whatever nightmare had overtaken him, but the cold hands moved over him forcefully, holding him in place and pushing inside. He ached to call the guards that he knew were just outside the doors and windows, but he was scared to death that this creature would just be a creation of his battered mind. So he forced away the sensations as they passed over him, denying each as it happened.

He knew he couldn't be feeling cold, probing fingers preparing him as they had so many times when he was in the spirit dimension with the Interim King…and the hands that touched him now were far colder. The Interim King was cold only in demeanor. His hands had been insistent, but they had also been alive and warm. There was no warmth in whatever manner of creature lay stretched along his back…if it even existed. There was no warmth in the hands that forced his legs wide, in the body that shifted into position and slowly entered him from behind.

He was sure that he had to have gone insane as the cold form worked its way inside him and didn't bother to pause before it began its hard thrusting. But he couldn't explain away the awful pain…the sensations that shattered his defenses, that broke through his illusions and brought the truth to life in staggering detail.

 _Kami, this is really happening_!

And the realization renewed his faith in his own mind. He wasn't going insane, wasn't seeing things. Somehow the Interim King had held onto life. He was here, but that coldness! What did it mean? And the forcefulness…The Interim King might have been insistent, but he had never hurt Byakuya physically. The one assaulting his body now was paying no attention to the damage it was doing. The hard, cold fingers dug into his skin. Its body thrust into his painfully and what little resistance Byakuya could manage while held in place by the creature's power was met with brutal force.

_Something must have gone wrong because of what I asked of him. It was because of what I made him feel!_

The thought sent his mind into chaos. He felt a darkness close in around him, while the cold, brutal assault on his body continued, but farther away. He was losing sensation in his body. He felt like he was falling. Everything was disappearing around him. The only consolation in this loss of consciousness was that, in his dreams, he found that he could, once again, scream.

XXXXXXXXXX

The door to Byakuya's door burst open and the guards rushed in. They slid to a stop as they reached the bed and found Byakuya sitting on the bed, wild-eyed and with the tangled blankets and clothing tumbled around him.

"Kuchiki taichou?" the third seat said in a whisper, staring at the lost, shattered expression on the noble's pale, stricken face, "Sir, did you have a nightmare or are you…?"

Byakuya blinked slowly and swallowed hard. He disentangled his fingers from the torn sheets and slipped his yukata back into place.

"It was just a nightmare," he said softly, "I am fine."

But he didn't feel fine.

How could he?

He knew what he had felt…knew it beyond the shadow of a doubt…

But when he had regained his voice and begun to scream, whatever the nightmare was, it had shattered. And he had clearly seen the lack of evidence of what he had felt. His skin was pale, but still perfect and not bruised. He was perfectly able to move, to scream, and he felt the pulsing of his power as it flared softly beneath his skin. And the final damning fact was Senbonzakura's voice as it touched his mind.

_Master, are you all right?_

Byakuya watched as the others left, then he fled to the shower to wash the awful feeling of the creature's touch from his skin. And as he washed his body, he checked again.

_No sign of injury…no sign of force…nothing…Kami, there's nothing…It was a nightmare. It had to be…because if it wasn't, then…then there would have been something. There would have been some sign of it on my body._

He slid slowly down the wall and rested against the tiled wall of the shower. His mind whirled, trying to make sense of what had happened, but there was no sense, no logic, nothing to help him resolve it in his mind. He sat, curled in the corner of the shower, tears of frustration threatening, but not making it past his eyes. He let his eyes close and focused on the steady intake and exhale of his breath.

Some part of him registered that he wasn't alone and he opened his eyes and looked up. A bolt of fear shot through him, only to be replaced with an equally strong feeling of relief as Renji dropped to the shower floor next to him, heedless of the fact he was still dressed or that the water had gone cold. He wrapped his arms around Byakuya and pulled him close.

"What is it? What happened? They said you had a nightmare. It was that bad?" Renji asked softly.

Byakuya didn't answer, but sank deeper into the redhead's arms and rested his head against a strong shoulder.

"It will be fine now. I'm not going to leave again. Whatever this is that's happening, we'll figure it out together, okay?"

Byakuya nodded silently against Renji's shoulder, thankful that the water soaked material there hid the tears he found he couldn't hold back any longer.


	4. The Darkness Within

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Byakuya continues to struggle with the interim king's assault on his mind as Renji offers comfort.

"Are you feeling any better now?" asked Renji, watching as Byakuya sipped calmly at his tea.

"I told you, I am fine," Byakuya insisted, staring down into his cup, "It was just a nightmare. It wasn't real."

"And you're still not going to tell me about it?" Renji asked, climbing into bed next to him.

"I don't want to talk about it," he said quietly, "It would only make me focus on it harder and it might cause it to return."

"Okay, then. We won't talk about it," Renji said, nodding, "We've been away from each other so much lately. I think we can find better uses for our time…or at least something to take our minds off of our troubles, ne?"

He moved closer and Byakuya turned and curled into his arms, resting his head on the redhead's shoulder. Renji brushed a hand against his face, then sank his fingers into the silken, black strands of his hair, letting them run through his fingers. Byakuya gave a soft sigh and lifted his chin, bringing his lips to Renji's. Their lips moved against each other lightly at first, then Renji nipped gently at his and he parted his lips and accepted the delightful warmth of the redhead's tongue as it slowly captured his, tasting him, teasing him and moving in deeper to explore that sweet, sensuous place that it seemed he could never get enough of. And as he enjoyed the noble's mouth, he kept one hand rested lightly against his face and let the other roam slowly over the fine planes and curves of his body. The softness and sensitivity of the flesh beneath his fingertips and the light, beautiful sounds Byakuya made as he was touched, sent warm shivers through Renji and he kissed the noble harder, sinking his fingers in more deeply and working the tension out of the strong muscles, then sending warm, waves of healing power all through his body.

He pulled away for a moment and coaxed Byakuya onto his stomach, than he rested his body all along the length of the noble's back and worked his fingers into the long, raven black strands again, burying his face in the softness and breathing in the light, intoxicating scent of sakura. His lips found the shell of an ear and he stopped to trace it lightly with his tongue.

"I missed you," he whispered…and he felt Byakuya shiver.

_Could it be, Kuchiki Byakuya, that you missed me?_

If it had been anyone but Renji, the sudden tension that gripped the noble's body and just as quickly left it, might have been missed, but having known and carefully watched Byakuya for so many years, Renji immediately noticed the drop in reiatsu, the momentary return of tension, then the immediate attempt to control and conceal his discomfort. Renji stopped and sat up, gazing at the lovely fall of the long waves of black hair over Byakuya's shoulders and back. His face was turned away, and although calm had returned to his body, making it pliant and willing again, he had stopped returning Renji's touches, had stopped responding at all.

Renji felt a soft chill pass through his body.

"Byakuya?" he said quietly.

The noble turned and gazed up at him questioningly.

"You sure you don't want to talk? I mean, you seem pretty distracted."

Guilt washed over the quiet, pale features and Renji sighed impatiently at his verbal clumsiness. Byakuya rolled onto his back reaching for the redhead and pulling him down again. And Renji was again struck with the feeling that the action was taken more as a defense of whatever he was concealing, rather than an invitation to move things forward. The dark, smoky eyes met his, and Renji felt a pang of sadness at the swiftness with which Byakuya forced down whatever was bothering him and covered his discomfort with all of the signs of willingness and desire for him to go on.

"I am sorry," Byakuya whispered, "Please, continue."

For some reason, the words seemed chillingly familiar. And the only memories that Renji had that chilled him in that way were memories of the time he spent, submerged beneath the power of the Interim King.

"I asked you why you are crying."

Byakuya didn't trust his voice, so he merely looked up into the deep golden eyes and forced his body to calm, forced the tears to stop. He freed a hand and brushed them away, then summoned the strength forced into him by the years of his grandfather's teachings. This was his king, his superior. It didn't matter at all that he looked like Renji. It didn't matter how Byakuya felt about what was happening. What mattered was his obedience.

"I am sorry. Please continue."

And suddenly, Byakuya's behavior made complete sense to Renji. He had seen it plenty of times before as Byakuya slowly recovered from what had happened. The past year was littered with long nights where they wanted so much to make love, but the awful memories invaded…and Byakuya would fall into a more passive state…like this. It wasn't as extreme as the frightening losses of control that had occurred just after their return, but even these more controlled reversions were damaging if not handled carefully. Renji rested his body on top of Byakuya's, keeping eye contact as he laced their fingers together and kissed the noble's fingertips.

"Byakuya," he said quietly, "as much as I missed you and as much as I want to be with you, I know what I'm seeing…and I can't ignore it. Talk to me. You don't have to say everything, but say something…so we can deal with this and get through it."

"Renji, I told you that…"

Renji placed a finger against the noble's lips, stopping him.

"I don't want excuses…or anything meant to distract me. Now, let's start from the beginning. That nightmare, the one you won't tell me about…it was about him, wasn't it?"

He could tell by the slight widening of the noble's eyes and the sudden drop in reiatsu that he was correct. He nodded in acknowledgment.

"And you are trying to carry the weight of it on your own."

Byakuya was perfectly silent, barely breathing.

"I didn't have the right to question it as your fukutaichou," Renji said calmly, "but taking your hand in marriage gives me the right to question what you're doing…because now, you aren't just doing this to yourself, you are doing this to us."

The dark eyes held his and Renji could feel the weight of the thoughts beneath the gaze. He held himself still, waiting and suppressing the overwhelming urge to say more. Always, there was a delicate balance to be observed when cornering his skittish lover. It had taken Renji the better part of that first year of their marriage, to carefully train himself to coax Byakuya into saying what needed to be said, sharing things he might have hidden, expressing his desires, his needs and his emotions. No one was going to make the proud, stoic noble do anything it wasn't in his mind to do…and it took a very steady hand to touch the walls and barriers, to gently acknowledge them…then to push through them. Renji was surprised at his own ability to manage this, but then, no one knew Byakuya the way he did. And that gave him an advantage.

Byakuya held his eyes a moment longer, then sighed deeply and sagged in defeat. Still, Renji resisted the urge to say anything more. He waited, biting his tongue…hard.

"You are right, Renji," Byakuya said finally.

He turned away from the redhead and started to reach for the cup of now-cold tea. A strong hand captured his.

"You hate cold tea. Let me make more."

He took the cup from the nightstand and left the room. Byakuya moved to the edge of the bed and stood. He walked to the window and pulled the curtains back to look out at the stars. Clouds still obscured them, but they managed to peek through, sending down their bits of light, shining despite the attempts to hide them. And he thought about how the stars were like people, trying to shine through so many difficulties. He sighed softly, closing the curtains and wishing Renji would forget about the tea and just come back. He needed to feel the redhead's warmth and closeness, to breathe in his scent and touch his skin, to trace those lovely black markings. He could almost feel the heat of Renji's arms wrapping around him. He thought, in fact, that Renji had changed his mind and returned…but then, he felt that the arms closing around him were not warm, but icy cold. He opened his mouth to cry out, but a hard hand closed over it and he was pulled back tightly against a strong, unyielding body.

"You won't tell him. If you do, I will emerge…and I will kill him. Remember that I don't need him anymore. I only need you and one other to get what I want…and I will have it soon…very soon, Byakuya…"

The king paused, still holding him tightly.

"I hunger," he hissed softly, "Until I am brought to life, I need you to sustain me."

He turned the noble in his arms and fastened his mouth tightly on Byakuya's. Byakuya felt the breath, the power, the very life being drawn out of him as the king held him and drained him.

Renji's footsteps sounded near the door and the Interim King pulled his mouth away from Byakuya's, then smiled coldly at him.

"You remember what I said," the king hissed softly, then he released the noble and watched with glowing red eyes as he slid noiselessly to the floor. The hollow wraith turned and disappeared through the wall, just as Renji re-entered the room, carrying the tea.

Noting that Byakuya was no longer in the bed, Renji set the tea on the nightstand and looked around the room, reaching out with his senses. He realized, with a shiver, that he didn't feel Byakuya's reiatsu. He started to turn back to the door, but paused as a soft moan sounded from the far side of the bed. He flash stepped over the bed and caught his breath as he came down and landed beside Byakuya's unmoving body. He put his hands on the noble's face, then drew back, staring at the icy coldness of his skin, at the glazed, senseless look in his eyes.

"Byakuya?" he whispered, his heart in his throat, "Byakuya, what happened?"

His body shook with cold and his voice was tremulous.

"It…I just…got dizzy and fell. I must still be…somewhat ill. I am sorry, Renji. I didn't mean to worry you."

"Come on," Renji said, pulling him slowly to his feet, "Get back in bed. Drink some tea. I'll send for a healer."

Byakuya shook his head.

"I don't need a healer. Just…stay with me. Lie down with me. I've missed you too much and I've been sick both in body and in heart while you have been gone."

Renji sighed softly with discontent.

"I really think you need a healer, Byakuya."

"No," said the noble, laying back against the pillows and pulling Renji down with him, "I need my lover. I've been too long without you and I want you with me."

Renji looked into the dark gray eyes and red the genuine emotion. He knew that he still needed to get Byakuya to open up about what had happened during his absence, but he also realized that it was not the time to push.

Byakuya's hand came up and curled around his head, the pale fingers sinking deeply into his long, red mane and pulling him into a kiss. A chill passed through Renji at the coldness of Byakuya's lips, but he dove into the cool depths of the mouth that sought his and let the warmth flow from his body into the one beneath it, melting away the iciness and bringing a flare of heat between them.

Byakuya's hand slid down and released the ties, then pushed the yukata off of the redhead's shoulders, baring the tanned, tattooed flesh, then pulling Renji closer so that he could taste it. He traced the striking black edges with his tongue, then sucked warmly at the skin along his throat. Renji gave a low, contented sound that lay somewhere between a moan and a soft growl, and his hands explored the noble's responsive body as Byakuya continued the intense, loving assault on his throat.

Renji's parted his thighs and sank down so that he straddled Byakuya's torso and he thrust his swollen length against the noble's, catching his breath and releasing it again in a more powerful, decidedly hungry snarl. He lifted his upper body away and repositioned himself, then took Byakuya into him in short, deepening thrusts until he was fully entrenched and the dark gray eyes had gone hazy with desire.

Byakuya reached up with both hands and met Renji's, and they laced their fingers together, then Byakuya brought them to rest on his chest and Renji could feel the heart that raced softly beneath their hands. He began moving slowly, watching his lover's eyes widen and blacken as the beautiful sensation broke over him. He lowered his head so that the long red strands fell down to tease the sensitive skin of Byakuya's chest and increased the speed and depth of his thrusts, drawing a deep moan of pleasure from the noble. Byakuya's hands tightened on his and Renji dropped down lower, thrusting harder. Byakuya's body bucked sharply upward into his and one hand broke free and slipped down between them, pleasuring him as they moved together.

Renji felt himself getting close and caught a glimpse of Byakuya's eyes studying his, then the noble's hips thrust upward hard, three times in quick succession, sending the redhead careening into bliss. He gave a deep, heaving cry and emptied himself, feeling the warm fluid pulse out of him and onto the noble's body. He felt Byakuya shudder beneath him and tightened around the noble's member, enjoying the rush of heat that passed into his body from Byakuya's.

He fell down onto the noble's chest finding his mouth and plunging into a storm of deep, penetrating kisses. Whatever had been plaguing the noble before seemed to disappear into the depths as the two lovers reconnected. They continued kissing for a long time after, then Renji sank down beside Byakuya and rested his head on the noble's shoulder.

"Damn!" he whispered, smiling.

Byakuya looked at him questioningly.

"Looks like your tea got cold again!"

"I think I'll manage," the noble replied, smiling and plunging into the redhead's mouth again.


	5. The King's Guard

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Interim King continues to drain Byakuya secretly as Byakuya is called to the royal realm to assist the king.

Byakuya felt warm fingers stroking his hair, and the heat of Renji's body resting along his back and side. Light breaths moved the long strands of his hair, making it tickle his skin, sending light chills through him. The redhead's lips and tongue brushed against his ear, then worked their way slowly down the side of his neck, while his hand moved on to teasingly explore his chest, before sliding down to lightly stroke his abdomen and to trace his navel. It moved down lower and the searching fingers touched him more intimately before moving back up and beginning a more erotic stimulation. Byakuya moved his hips in response and sighed into the crook of his arm, on which his head rested. The redhead tightened his hand and stroked him more firmly, watching as the strong body beneath his shivered softly and Byakuya released a hungry moan.

Renji bit down on the skin of neck and shoulder, wetting his fingers with saliva, then sliding a hand down and caressing puckered ring of his entrance, pushing inside and probing tenderly. Byakuya's breath quickened as Renji's mouth continued to pleasure the flesh of his shoulders and back, and he added a second finger, moving them in a steady, gentle thrusting motion. He bit down harder on Byakya's shoulder, sucking deeply as he added the third finger. Byakuya moaned hungrily as Renji's fingers thrust and stretched the sensitive tissues.

The redhead shifted slightly, bringing himself to the noble's entrance and pushing his thickened penis in slowly. He brought his body down onto Byakuya's back, working his fingers into the dark, soft hair, pulling it away from his shoulder and biting down on his throat. He reeled in the beauty of their connection, his breath warming the skin of his lover's throat and shoulder. And beneath him, Byakuya lifted his hips, moving in time with Renji's motions, his breath releasing in soft, beautiful sighs as Renji's cock slid in and out of his surrendered bottom.

Renji tightened his arms around the noble, quickening his movements into heavy, deep thrusts. He reached around his lover's body, capturing Byakuya's damp and leaking member, as they continued to writhe hotly against each other. Renji felt a tremor shake the noble's body and Byakuya's hands gripped the sheets as his seed poured out in hot, wet spurts. Renji grabbed his lover's hips and thrust in deeply, emptying himself, then collapsed softly onto the noble's back, resting his head between Byakuya's shoulder blades and working to catch his breath. He rubbed his face against the soft, sakura scented hair and absently stroked the long strands as they recovered together.

"So…" Renji said, when he could speak again, "I need to shower and get dressed, because unlike some people, I am on active duty and not tied to a desk."

Byakuya's eyes narrowed.

"Say that again," he said, irritably, "and see how fast you get yourself tied to a desk."

Renji laughed nervously.

"Hey…Taichou, I was just kidding."

Byakuya's frown deepened.

"And if you continue to call me Taichou when we are alone, I'll do quite a lot more than just tie you to the desk."

Renji swallowed hard, liking the thought in general, but convinced once again that Byakuya could sometimes be scary as hell.

He climbed out of bed and flash stepped to the bathroom, turning on the shower and stepping into the steamy water. In moments, he was bathed in mist and sighing with delight as the hot water pounded down onto his body. A few minutes later, the shower door opened and Byakuya stepped inside. He met the redhead beneath the hot spray for a flurry of seething kisses. It seemed to Renji that things were about to take an even more passionate turn, when suddenly, he noticed a hell butterfly floating in the air, just out of range of the water.

"Damn!" muttered Renji, using his hand to redirect the spray of water at the offending insect.

Byakuya shook his head in annoyance and captured the creature on his finger. Kurotsuchi taichou's abrasive voice rose up, addressing Byakuya.

 _Kuchiki taichou, our efforts to investigate and seal Las Noches have taken longer than expected. We need a few more days to complete our work. The guard groups stationed here are scheduled to return before we will finish, so we need relief troops to assume the defense of Las Noches until our investigation is complete. Abarai fukutaichou will need to return as well to guide the new troops in the keeping of the shield_.

Renji rolled his eyes.

"You have no ides how much I hate that guy," muttered Renji, shaking the water out of his hair, "He is an ass, first of all and second, the guy is just…creepy!"

Byakuya chuckled softly.

"He's not my problem," the noble said with a too sweet smile, "I'm not on active duty…so I will not be the one blessed with his presence."

"That's not nice, Taichou," Renji snapped.

Byakuya didn't answer, but simply released the hell butterfly and slipped back under the water. He tilted his head back, letting the water run through his hair and down the length of his back. Renji watched for a moment, then joined him under the water and attacked the fine, pale throat with fierce kisses.

"What are you doing?" Byakuya said, a bit breathlessly, "Don't you have somewhere to go, Abarai?"

"Hai," Renji agreed, biting down and sucking the water from the noble's soft skin, "but I also have a duty to please my taichou…and you don't look sufficiently pleased yet."

"Renji…after the night we just spent together…how…"

He was cut off as the redhead eagerly claimed his mouth. Renji forced him back against the wall and trapped the noble's body there with his own. He blazed a trail of hot kisses down the pale throat, over shoulders and chest and down the length of his torso, continuing to lick and suck the water away, and watching raptly as the noble drank in the sensations and began to writhe hungrily in response. Renji rose to his full height and wrapped strong arms around him, lowering him to sit on the tiled bench along one shower wall. He dropped to his knees and parted his lover's thighs, then knelt between them, and bent to suck Byakuya's swollen arousal into his smiling mouth.

Byakuya leaned back against the wall, watching with hazy eyes as Renji's head moved up and down repeatedly, his lips sliding along the flushed shaft of his lover's hardened penis and his tongue lingering over the blushing, leaky head. One warm hand added more delicious sensations, while the other wrapped around his body, pulling him in closer. Byakuya gave a moaning sigh and leaned back, closing his eyes, his hands sliding into the redhead's hair and encouraging him in his efforts.

Renji felt Byakuya's hips pushing upward impatiently and placed a hand on him to keep him from thrusting in too deeply. The noble's breathing grew ragged and Renji could feel the racing of Byakuya's heart beneath his fingertips. He sucked hard on the flinching cock in his mouth and felt Byakuya shudder, giving a deep, satisfied gasp as he filled Renji's mouth with his hot, pearly release and watched the redhead feed contentedly. He smiled warmly as Renji joined him on the bench, kissing him into sweet oblivion. Renji chuckled softly at the blissful expression on Byakuya's face.

"I think my taichou is sufficiently pleased now," he laughed.

XXXXXXXXXX

Byakuya glanced over at Renji's empty desk, silently replaying their lovemaking in his mind. It was a good way, he thought to distract himself away from the boring stacks of paper that never seemed to get any smaller, any closer to being done, but always seemed to renew themselves every time he felt himself grow close to finishing.

Of course, normally, boredom wasn't a problem…no, boredom was never a problem when Renji occupied the desk across from his and he could look up every so often, catch the redhead's eye, and remind himself of the reward that awaited when they finished their work for the night.

Now, however, there was no such promise of reward. The only thing that awaited him was a cold, unmade bed that still held the scents of their lovemaking…and the further realization of just how lonely he felt without the redhead.

It also held the possibility that the Interim King would return.

Byakuya shivered softly at the memory of his icy touch and suddenly found himself feeling very vulnerable. He wasn't sure what to do about it. He couldn't go back to Kuchiki Manor until Unohana taichou finished another round of tests and it was too late at night to go anywhere else. He suddenly hated the very idea of being alone.

He continued working until his eyes refused to focus properly, then turned out the office lights and returned to his room. He took a moment to put fresh sheets on the bed, then undressed and slipped into a soft yukata and slipped into bed, reaching over to turn out the lights. He reached out with his senses and could feel the presence of the guards at the doors and windows.

Not that it was enough to keep him safe, he reminded himself…

He focused on keeping his breathing even and calm, and sank into his pillow sleepily. He fell into a sleep so deep that he didn't even feel the presence of the Interim King as he entered the room and slipped into the bed, wrapping his body around Byakuya's and slowly draining him as he slept.

XXXXXXXXXX

Byakuya woke with a disturbing coldness in his body and retreated to the shower to quell the shivery feeling beneath his skin. He had no memory of any unpleasant circumstance or dream, but the deep coldness in his body was enough to tell him that he hadn't spent the entire night alone. The king had come to him again…to drain him.

Fortunately for him, it seemed that his body was adjusting somewhat…restoring his reiatsu at an accelerated rate to compensate for what was being taken. But that wasn't going to bring about an end to the problem. The king had said that he was going to use him to gain life…

Byakuya wondered just how he would go about doing that. He shuddered softly at the thought. He remembered in full detail what it took to birth the Spirit King. He knew that the processes probably were similar. The hard part for him was going to be stopping the king from achieving it.

It was too much to even think he had a chance of stopping him on his own. No, he needed Renji…and maybe others. And he was going to just have to come clean with the redhead and let him help. And he had to hope beyond hope that they were strong enough. It wasn't a given. The Interim King had penetrated every defense set in front of him. There was no assurance that he and Renji could beat him.

Still, they had to try…

He considered all that was at risk and knew that the time for his silence was at an end. He resolved that as soon as Renji returned, he would relinquish what he knew about the Interim King…

He had just returned his fitful mind to his work when a hell butterfly floated into the room. Byakuya couldn't help but smile as the warm, sweet voice of the Spirit King rose up out of the insect.

_Kuchiki Byakuya, I know that you have not yet returned to active duty, but I very much require your expertise here in the spirit dimension. Several breaches of the dimension wall have worried the Royal Guard and there was, last night, an attempt to steal the King's Prism. I ask that you report to me at the palace, so that we may collaborate on this. Please do not let too many people know that you are coming here. I do not wish to give my plans to use your help away. Much is resting on our ability to stop whoever is trying to steal the King's Prism. If the prism is taken and compromised, I could be very vulnerable to attack._

_Thank you for your assistance in this matter. I shall eagerly await your arrival._

Sighing discontentedly, he quickly wrote out orders for the third seat and left them on Renji's desk for the third seat to find when he came into the office later. Byakuya slipped out the door and flash stepped through the streets of the Seireitei, and out beyond…to the barrier known as the dimension wall. The golden cipher on his chest glowed softly and he passed through, into the spirit dimension. He flash stepped toward the palace, nodding in acknowledgement as the ranks of the Royal Guard closed in around him and carefully checked his reiatsu. Sensing nothing, the taichou of the Royal Guard led him to the palace and welcomed him inside.

He was taken to a guest room, where he showered and dressed in a formal kimono, before meeting with the king in the banquet hall for dinner. Their meal was somewhat hastily consumed, then Byakuya joined the king in the garden for a walk and discussion of his mission.

"I already told you," the king said, "that there have been some breaches of the dimension wall…not large…and not all successful. But from what is being done and how, we believe that the one who is doing this wants to get his hands on the King's Prism. The King's Prism, as you remember, is the place where the King's reiatsu is stored, should the king fall. Because of the nature of this artifact, it would only be useful if the one stealing it then used it in conjunction with me…"

"So," said Byakuya, "you are concerned that, whoever is after the King's Prism…will also come after you?"

"Hai, I have placed myself, and the prism under heavy guard, but I fear that it is a lesson in futility. The one or ones we are facing are highly intelligent and motivated. They will try again. And when they do, we must be prepared. In the morning, I will have the Royal Guard taichou guide you around and tell you where the breaches occurred. I would like you to use your reiatsu sensing abilities and tracking capabilities to help us get to the bottom of who is doing this, and why.

"Yes, my lord," Byakuya said nodding.

The king took his leave of Byakuya and the noble walked around the king's garden, enjoying the play of the moonlight over the grounds. He sighed worriedly, thinking about the prospect of someone trying to steal the King's Prism. It suggested that someone wanted to do harm to the king. Byakuya decided that he wasn't about to let that happen.

He walked slowly back to his room and undressed, slipping into a dark red yukata and settling down into the bed. He drifted off readily, calmed by the soft sounds of people moving around in the area

He was so deeply asleep that he was unaware when the Interim King appeared in the room and climbed onto the bed. He settled down next to the noble and slowly drained him as he slept…


	6. The Abduction

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Byakuya is attacked and the soul king vanishes.

The wraith waited until he had drained Byakuya nearly to the point of senselessness to wake him. He wanted…needed, after all, to make certain that the noble would follow. Though it was necessary for them to separate, he would need additional power in order to begin the ritual…and Byakuya was the key to that power.

And after giving him that power, he would take the necessary step of emptying the noble, preparing him for the exchange that would then take place. He found the thought of sharing such things with Byakuya very pleasing. And when the ritual was done, whatever resistance that the beautiful noble might have offered would disappear…and Byakuya would accept him completely…devotedly…unchangeably…

After all, in the state he would be in at that time, Byakuya would have little choice about what came next. He wouldn't be able to serve the Gotei 13 any longer, nor live among the shinigamis. Not if he wanted to remain alive. After all, it was the purpose of the shinigamis to cleanse souls that had become hollows…and when the ritual was complete, Byakuya would be something beyond what Hueco Mundo had ever dared to contain. And his power would be second only to the Hollow King's own. They would seat themselves in Las Noches and from there, extend their reach into the three worlds. In the end, the two would control them all…

But first, he needed the King's Prism. He had already tested the defenses around it and knew that he would need great power to break the enchantments that protected it. He could draw that power from Byakuya, but it had to be done carefully. This final draw of power would push the limits of what the noble could tolerate and Byakuya would need time to recuperate after. That time would allow him to escape with the prism and the Spirit King. Yes, the prism would allow him to subdue the king and remove him from the safety of the spirit dimension. Then, as soon as Byakuya rejoined them…the ritual could begin.

He smiled down at the noble as he began to shift uncomfortably. He stroked Byakuya's hair tenderly and kissed him as he continued to drain him.

"This is going to be difficult for you," he whispered into the shell of an ear, "I have to borrow a large amount of power to take the next step. But you are strong…you will manage. And there will be much for you to do after. Now, my Byakuya, fill me with your power…"

XXXXXXXXXX,

Byakuya's eyes opened and went wide at the sight of the Interim King, leaning over him, kissing him and draining away his power. The wraith's lips touched his ear and there were words, but the meaning of them was lost as he reeled under the weight of the relentless devouring of his reiatsu.

It seemed different this time…

There was something in the wraith's eyes that would have terrified him if he had the ability left to respond to emotion…but everything was sacrificed to the creature who rested on top of him, smiling and calmly stealing the life from his body. In his tired mind, he tried to make sense of what was happening…of why the Interim King still existed in wraith form, why he was stealing Byakuya's power…and what would happen after he was drained this time.

And finally, Kuchiki Byakuya put two and two together. He knew then who had been testing the defenses around the King's Prism. And he realized, with a deep pang of guilt that he had been used to help the wraith prepare to steal it. He knew as well, that the prism was the place where the king's power was stored upon his death…and there was only one reason why the wraith would desire it.

He had told Byakuya already that he wanted to live…

And for him to live, he needed to kill the Spirit King…

Byakuya knew he couldn't let that happen. He fought down his weakness, his inability to control his situation and began a mad struggle to break away from the one who held him. The wraith's hold on him was icy and unforgiving, but he twisted and threw his weight against the other. The wraith smiled and pulled him close again, holding him tightly and whispering soft, affectionate words into his ear. In the heat of the fight to break away, only a scattering of words managed to reach the noble's mind.

_King's Prism…_

_The Spirit King…_

_Las Noches…_

It suddenly struck Byakuya as odd that despite his struggling, the wraith had used no power other than physical to subdue him. Maybe, he thought, the other couldn't…

_Now, my Byakuya, fill me with your power…_

He knew he didn't have much left, but he poured everything into one single effort.

"Hado #4, Byakurai!"

The wraith's eyes flashed with surprise and fury.

_You fool! You'll kill us both!_

The white lightning burst from his hands and struck the wraith squarely, forcing it back against the wall. Byakuya rose to his knees and tried to call his power forth again. But it was gone. Everything was gone…and he knew why the wraith had admonished him that he was going to kill them both. He had given too much. His body numbed with shock and he fell forward, listening as footsteps pounded in the hallway that led to his room. As the wraith began to disappear, the red eyes met his and the creature smiled at him.

_Just what I would have expected from someone like you, my Byakuya. But do not worry. Your little tantrum won't stop me. Trying to force me to use my power so that I wouldn't have enough for my task was, I admit, a very good idea, but it is too little, too late, Byakuya. You can't stop me. You really only hurt yourself…Rest now, and try not to die. I will see you again, soon._

The wraith faded away.

Byakuya tried desperately to hang on to consciousness, but the darkness was already washing over him. With all of his remaining strength, he struggled to his feet and forced out a final warning to the guards that rushed in and slid to a stop in front of him.

"He's…going to steal the prism. Protect…the king!"

The leader of the group of guards caught Byakuya as he collapsed and sent the others flash stepping away.

"Get a healer in here!" he shouted to a palace servant, "Kuchiki taichou has been attacked!"

All around the Spirit King's palace, the alarms began to wail.

XXXXXXXXXX

Kuchiki Tetsuya sighed and frowned at the stubbornness of the members of the Council of Elders. Always, it seemed, they made mountains out of mole hills, squandered time arguing about ridiculous things and were pretty much just a general source of annoyance. The only reason he continued to lead them was that it put him in close proximity to Kuchiki Byakuya…and he and Byakuya had always been on agreeable terms.

_And let's face it, someone has to balance the needs of the noble family and its leader. One cannot be allowed to run roughshod over the other._

And Kuchiki Tetsuya worked well as a peacemaker. Always an amicable fellow (something hard to find among the stuffy noble families), Tetsuya had endeared himself to Byakuya as a boy, when both had strained against the yoke of the upper class that threatened, they thought, to suck the life out of them. It had been a joke, but Kuchiki Tetsuya had come to realize that while he enjoyed some free rein in his life, Kuchiki Byakuya lived a life that constantly tried to place restraints on him. For a while, he had been bound so tightly, Tetsuya wasn't sure how the free spirit within him had survived…but every now and then, he was treated to a glimpse of that barely contained, spirited boy who lived somewhere deep within the stoic clan leader.

And being one who loved Byakuya as he had been, Kuchiki Tetsuya deeply enjoyed seeing that happen. His devotion to that submerged spirit had led him to nearly single-handedly convince the council to accept Byakuya's request for council approval to marry Hisana…and more recently had helped him to mitigate the clan leader's marriage to his male, peasant fukutaichou. Yes…it had been difficult to convince them…but he had relied heavily on the birth of Beniko to drive home the point that now there would not simply be a single heir…but a powerful heir…and more to follow as the passion between Byakuya and Renji seemed limitless.

As a matter of fact, it left him feeling that his own life lacked something. He sighed softly. He was young enough yet that there was plenty of time for romance, but while he waited for that other person to come into his life, he intended to live life fully. And that meant not squandering time mooning about over the distant future. It was more important that he deal with matters at hand.

He sighed again and realized that the elder currently speaking had gone off track and an argument was breaking out. And all of a sudden, Tetsuya didn't care why they were disagreeing…He just wanted it to stop. He opened his mouth to stop them, but closed it again as the Seireitei's alarms began to shriek. The council fell silent…staring…

_Code Red Alert…Code Red Alert…Squads six and eleven to the dimension wall…the dimension wall has been breached…Squads six and eleven to the dimension wall…the dimension wall has been breached!_

Tetsuya frowned. He rose and turned to the still quiet council as the alarms continued to sound.

"Byakuya-sama is currently in the spirit dimension. I will go to see to his safety and return as soon as there is word."

Without waiting for an answer, he flash stepped away. He took the swiftest path to the dimension wall and listened carefully for sounds of a battle. Strangely, there were none…only the deep silence of the forest around him and the hissing of his flash step. And as he arrived at the dimension wall, he found that the troops sent were not engaging any enemy, but carefully studying the damage to the wall. Seeing that there did not appear to be any great danger, he moved forward and started to pass through the opening.

"Hey there…Kuchiki-sama," a familiar voice called.

Tetsuya turned and found himself looking at Abarai Renji.

"Abarai-san," he said in surprise, "I thought that you were still in Hueco Mundo."

"I just barely got back. Kurotsuchi taichou completed his investigation and we sealed away Las Noches. We shouldn't have any more trouble coming from there…although I happen to think Kurotsuchi taichou is more scary than anything that would come out of Las Noches, now that Aizen Sosuke is gone!"

"Did you have a chance to speak to my cousin before he left for the spirit dimension?" Tetsuya asked.

"Hell, I didn't even have time to ask where he'd gone!" Renji exclaimed, "I barely walked in and found his hell butterfly when all hell broke loose! So do you know why he went there?"

"Hai." Tetsuya nodded, "He said that the king, himself had requested his presence there."

"Did he know that Byakuya wasn't even supposed to be on active duty yet?" asked Renji.

"Hai, the king knew. But I believe that he was sufficiently unnerved about something that he felt he needed Byakuya at his side, even though his fighting skills would not be useful. In any case, the council has sent me to verify his status and to offer him assistance."

"Yeah, right," Renji laughed, "and I'll bet you really resisted going after him, too!"

Tetsuya couldn't resist smiling in return.

"I must confess that I did race out of there at full speed. They really are…"

"I know," Renji groaned, chuckling again, "I met them…remember?"

"Will you be going to the palace then?" Tetsuya asked, turning serious again.

Renji nodded.

"There really isn't much to do here. Whatever came through here was headed for Hueco Mundo. Hopefully, it won't be back."

"Then, you should come with me to the palace. You have a higher clearance, being a member of the King's Guard, so you will assist me in avoiding any unnecessary delays in getting to my cousin."

"Is there any reason to think he's not okay?" Renji asked, worry entering his features.

"Well…as members of council, we are very in tune with Byakuya's reiatsu. We can usually sense his location with some amount of ease. But since his illness, there have been times when we couldn't sense his reiatsu at all. And you should know…right now, I don't sense him at all. I don't know if it is because he is in the spirit dimension or if he has gotten into trouble. That's why I'm here."

"Well then…"

He broke off as a Royal Courier flash stepped into view. He ran to Renji and dropped to his knees.

"Abarai-hogosha," the youth panted, "You are called to the palace. It is an emergency. Sir, the King's Prism has been stolen!"

"What?" Renji exclaimed, his eyes widening.

"And that is not the worst of it," the courier went on, "Sir…Kuchiki-hogosha was attacked…and the king, himself, has disappeared from the palace!"

"Kami!" Renji hissed, "This is NOT good!"

"Abarai-san," said Tetsuya quickly, "I will go to my cousin while you attend to the investigation of the king's disappearance."

"But…" Renji said, his face paling, "Byakuya…"

"The king has disappeared. It is your duty to put that first. I swear to you that I will keep you apprised of my cousin's situation."

Renji swallowed hard, forcing down his worry for Byakuya and turning towards the palace.

"All right…let's go!"

They flash stepped down the pathway that led into the courtyard of the palace. Royal Guardsmen were everywhere and they were stopped and hurriedly searched before being allowed to enter the palace.

Tetsuya turned toward the infirmary and flash stepped away. Renji continued on to the throne room, where he was met by the Royal Guard taichou. He quickly took Renji to the room where the King's Prism had been stored. The case it had been in was blackened and shattered…and the artifact taken.

"There were heavy enchantments protecting the prism, because it is so crucial to the maintaining of the king's reiatsu. If the king's reiatsu is lost, we cannot use the rebirth ritual to replace him in the case of his death. We must find the prism and the king quickly or all is lost! Because…there is only one reason why someone would take the prism and the king…and that is to kill the king and usurp his power!"

"Do you have any idea where the attacker went? A direction? Anything?"

"Well…the dimension wall was breached, but we cannot determine by whom. Whoever it was, headed for Hueco Mundo. We sent trackers, but we were unable to find any reiatsu to track. We would send Kuchiki-hogosha, but he is unconscious…and his body has been dangerously drained of reiatsu. I am afraid we are in a holding pattern for now. I have Royal Guard investigating. It would perhaps, be best for you to see to Kuchiki-hogosha. If we can get him back on his feet, he is the best reiatsu tracker we have."

"Arigato," Renji said, bowing, "I will go to him at once."

He turned and flash stepped toward the infirmary.


End file.
